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Beltway paving project stalled again

Clark County commissioners are being pulled deeper into a feud between two rival contractors battling for a lucrative road-widening job on the Las Vegas Beltway.

The commission's insistence in choosing Las Vegas Paving over Fisher Sand and Gravel Co., even though Fisher's bid was $4.6 million lower, has led to the project being stalled again.

A federal judge this week ordered the project frozen until an Aug. 24 hearing, although he has yet to sign a written injunction.

Fisher bid $112.2 million and Las Vegas Paving bid $116.8 million to improve the Beltway between Decatur Boulevard and Tenaya Way.

Fisher, based in North Dakota, contends that commissioners indulged in union bias and favoritism by twice awarding Las Vegas Paving the contract against the advice of their legal counsel.

"We've alleged in the complaint that Clark County commissioners ... have contrived a reason to deny Fisher Sand and Gravel the bid," said Stanley Parry, Fisher's attorney.

In April, commissioners chose Las Vegas Paving, saying that at least two of Fisher's subcontractors weren't properly licensed. A judge later ruled that Las Vegas Paving missed a deadline for protesting Fisher's bid and ordered commissioners to reconsider the bid award.

Two weeks ago, commissioners rejected Fisher again. This time, several of them argued Fisher was irresponsible because three high-ranking officials were convicted of tax fraud and the company racked up safety and pollution violations in other states.

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